When he woke up, the sun's rays filtered in through the curtain. Michael saw Alex at his side. His hair lay in rays on the pillow like a lion's mane. In sleep his face was serene, his skin rosy. He gazed at her for a long time, still in disbelief at that wonderful gift. He watched the regular rise and fall of her chest, smelled her natural perfume surrounding her. She was so beautiful. He reluctantly took his eyes off her and silently sat down, placing his feet on the floor. Then he went to the bathroom. When she was in front of the mirror she began to remove her bandages. His skin was now completely smooth, without a trace of scarring. His fingers grazed his side, where the blowtorch had burnt the flesh just a couple of days before. His skin held no memory of it, but his mind did. He would find Nereus and kill him with his own hands. That werewolf was a savage and Michael would not allow his madness to spread again among his fellow men.
The expression of anger disappeared as soon as the door opened and in the mirror he saw Alex's reflection. Her green eyes ran to his bare chest, then Michael felt her fingers lightly caressing his back. He turned and pulled her to him to kiss her. He embraced her and sank his face into her hair, closing his eyes to erase the pain and atrocities of the past days. Her hands reciprocated the embrace, passed over his back, then descended lower.
Michael's instincts awoke along with her desire. His wolf and man parts demanded her. As his hands began to caress her, he slowly led her into the bedroom.
***
"Where is Raeg?"
"At the MacPhersons' house. They needed a hand with the alarm system and Markus couldn't go." Christopher squared his brother. "You look better."
"I'm fine." Michael poured himself some whiskey. "What's on your mind, Chris?"
The pack leader's hazel eyes scanned his brother's face. "Nothing," he finally replied. "Nothing that will work and end this madness fast enough. We are targets in the open, while they are hidden, invisible."
"But few."
"So are we. And they recruit much more easily than we do."
"What do the other taskmasters say?"
"They complain, though not directly to me. But I don't know how much longer they will hold out without sticking their noses into our business."
"Is that what's bothering you?"
"Also."
"They could never take away your command."
Chris's smile was without warmth. "They can and would not hesitate."
"Do you think anyone would be able to eliminate Nereus more easily than us?"
"No. But some old wolves might think they can handle this better."
"Noble bumpkins!"
"Yeah. But we cannot afford another internal war."
"You are certainly much more diplomatic than me, so you will be able to keep them at bay."
Christopher laughed. "I guess that can be an advantage."
The mobile phone placed on the table rang. When Christopher had ended the communication, he started to head for the door. "Markus may have found something."
Michael got up and followed him.
***
'This cottage was transferred about four months ago from the Barclays' property to a foreign company. I've looked for news, but it's a cover-up: it doesn't exist," Markus said, showing them a satellite image of a small cottage near Malham. 'It is a possibility because it is close to Oldgrove. On the other hand it is also too small to provide shelter for many werewolves."
"Having eliminated Nereus, dispersing his pack will be a piece of cake." Christopher's eyes studied the photograph attentively. "I'll send Lucian and Ty to check it out. How far?"
"A little over an hour."
"Good."
---
"There are ten werewolves watching the perimeter," Lucian said. "They are strays. I can smell them!"
The two warriors had checked the entire perimeter of the house and it had not been difficult to spot the men in military fatigues trying to hide among the trees and vegetation.
"Don't move. We'll catch up with you." Christopher closed the communication and called the others into the meeting room. He quickly brought them up to speed on what Lucian had just told them.
"I'm coming too."
Michael raised his eyes to meet Alex's gaze. "No."
"It was not a question."
"And mine was not an answer. You are not coming."
"I will not stay on the bench."
"You will not risk your life again."
"You don't decide for me."
"Christopher decides: he is the pack leader. And he did not name you among those who would take part in the mission."
"I am not one of the wolves in his pack." Alex's half-closed eyes challenged him.
"You know I have the means to keep you here."
"You gave me your word that you would not use your powers against me."
"If it would save you, I would not hesitate."
Alex's eyes narrowed to a slit. "You will not leave me behind." And so saying, he placed two pistols in their holsters and checked the daggers in their scabbards.
The footsteps of the boys entering the armoury made them both turn around. Christopher looked at Alex and then at his brother, waiting for an answer from him.
"I am coming with you."
"Only if you obey my orders." Christopher's voice was absolutely calm.
She nodded and without looking at Michael left the room and headed for the cars.
"No!" Michael's tone was high with barely restrained anger. "What the hell are you thinking?"
Christopher looked at his brother. 'I don't know why you didn't put her to sleep if you didn't want her to come. Anyway, we don't have time to argue. If she obeys my orders she will not participate in the conflict."
"I gave her my word that I would not use my powers on her," Michael replied bitterly. "How are you going to stop her when we are there?"
"I will order you to stand guard over the means."
"It's dangerous!"
Christopher paused and fixed his eyes in those of his brother. "She is your companion Michael, and I know you wish to protect her, but by now she too is involved in this war."
"He won't take part in it though!"
"I doubt you can stop him." And so saying, he shouldered the duffel bag laden with weapons and left.
***
As silent as the night to which they belonged, the vampires reached the guards who controlled the perimeter of the cottage.
"What the fuck..." Lucian saw two werewolves fall to the ground and a shadow move too fast.
"Vampires!" was Ty's hissed exclamation.
Then the firing began. In an instant that small corner of the forest became the centre of a shooting range.
"Shit!" Lucian grabbed his mobile phone and called Christopher. "Vampires!" he said into the phone. "They're making a mess!"
From the other end of the phone came the command not to intervene and remain hidden. Lucian closed the communication and stood watching the massacre with eyes filled with rage.
***
Snarling an expletive between his teeth, Christopher dialled Anthony's number. "What the hell are you doing?"
"I told you I would take care of it," replied the vampire's cold voice.
"My men are there! And Nereus could be in there."
"That's exactly what I was hoping for: then we can finally eliminate him. As for your wolves: tell them to keep away, I wouldn't want mine to kill them by mistake."
With a growl Christopher ended the communication. "Accelerate!" he said to Andy who was driving the SUV.
***
Hearing the first shots, Nereus grabbed the twin pistols and ran to the window. The guards could no longer be seen. Shortly afterwards, the sound of breaking glass on the lower floor confirmed his suspicions. He had not imagined that Christopher would be so quick to track him down; he had underestimated his opponent.
Keeping to the shadows he reached the landing and saw who was bringing death to his home: not Christopher's werewolves, but vampires. Quickly he returned to his study and closed the door behind him. He undressed as he reached the window, then opened it and leapt out. He landed in wolf form, and his paws began to run swiftly across the fresh grass-covered ground, soon leading him away from there. His poorly trained guards did not know how to deal with those predators of the night, and he alone would not have survived a confrontation with so many vampires. His only chance of salvation at that point was escape.
***
When they reached the site, what they found was death and destruction. The vampires were gone and the werewolves of Nereus lay in pools of their own blood.
Alex looked at the carmine floor. "Vampires..." he whispered.
"Everything OK?" Michael's voice was right next to her.
"They also really exist."
He nodded. "You can wait for us outside."
She shook her head. "What are we looking for?" she asked instead.
"Traces of Nereus."
She nodded and started walking across the slippery floor towards the door that opened at the far right of the central hall. The lapping of blood under her boots made her sick to her stomach, but she tried not to think about it and not to focus too much on the horribly quartered corpses.
The room he entered was the kitchen, and, fortunately, there were no corpses or blood in there. He breathed in again, trying to get the smell of carnage out of his nostrils and began to open doors and cupboards. It was inside one of them that he found a refrigerated case. He opened it but it was empty. He wondered what they had to carry that required cold and a hard bag. He guessed it must not be plain frozen spinach, so he went to the refrigerator and started to take the food packages out of the freezer. Behind the mushrooms and peas he found test tubes that contained a red-brown liquid. He took one and peered at it in the light of the light bulb hanging from the ceiling, but could not answer his question.
When he returned to the lounge to show Michael the discovery, he saw him coming down the stairs with the other boys, some of whom were carrying notebooks and other electronic equipment.
"I found some of these in the freezer," she told him, handing him the test tube. "I don't think it's just tomato sauce."
Michael took the test tube and studied it against the light. 'It's blood,' he said.
"Do werewolves drink blood?" Alex's voice betrayed surprise and even a little disgust.
"No. That's why it's interesting. Let me see the others."
***
"Vampire blood." Andy detached himself from the microscope and looked at Christopher. "At least as a base," he added. "It seems to have been modified, though I don't understand with what. A thorough examination should be done."
"What the hell was Nereus doing with it?"
Andy shook his head. "I have no idea." He remained pondering for a few moments. "We could send it to Dr Silver."
Christopher squinted his eyes. Madison Silver was the surgeon Fredrik had left behind when he retired from Central Hospital due to (human) age limits. His entire staff was part of the pack so as to ensure efficiency and secrecy for their particular patients. In the past it had also been considered to set up a hospital just for werewolves in a secret facility, but Eleanor had rejected the proposal at the time. Perhaps it was time to dust it off and implement it, Christopher thought. 'All right,' he finally said.